India formally kicked off the Information and Communication Technologies track under its 2026 BRICS Chairship in Pune on Monday, marking a significant push to deepen digital diplomacy and tech cooperation across the Global South. Organized by the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications, the five-day gathering is centered around the theme of Innovating, Cooperating, and Transforming for a Resilient Future. It convenes communications ministers, senior policymakers, tech industry leaders, and sector specialists from across the expanded eleven-member bloc—spanning Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—to build a shared strategy for an inclusive, secure, and future-ready digital landscape.
The proceedings opened with the seventh meeting of the BRICS Working Group for Cooperation in ICTs, running from August 17 to August 19 as the primary engine for multilateral policy drafting. Welcoming delegates at the opening session, Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal pointed out that India’s chairship is focused on pooling collective strengths to close persistent connectivity gaps, tackle emerging tech bottlenecks, and establish common standards for digital progress. Over these three days, working groups are examining practical ways to expand stable, high-speed, and affordable broadband access, particularly across underserved rural and developing regions.
Online security, system integrity, and responsible tech governance are taking center stage in the Pune talks. With digital threats growing more sophisticated and cross-border in nature, the member states are working toward shared protocols to protect critical infrastructure, improve collective incident response, and safeguard vulnerable internet users, with special focus on online child safety. Alongside security, delegations are highlighting the need for workforce upskilling and training initiatives so that young professionals across member countries can keep pace with rapid shifts in automation and modern software tools.
The agenda also looks closely at next-generation technological infrastructure, including 5G and early-stage 6G research, practical applications of artificial intelligence, and open Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). India’s own experience in rolling out nationwide public tech rails—ranging from biometric identity to real-time unified payments and paperless records—is serving as a frequent touchpoint during the sessions. The Indian delegation is showcasing how open-access public architectures can drive mass financial inclusion and support grassroots business, encouraging member states to explore interoperable systems tailored to their own domestic needs.
The summit is divided into three core stages to ensure discussions translate into workable business and policy outcomes. After the Working Group concludes its sessions, Pune will host the Digital BRICS Forum and Expo on August 20. This segment provides a direct stage for tech startups, research labs, and established enterprises to display real-world deployments in cloud platforms, telecom hardware, and applied AI, while panel discussions will explore joint funding mechanisms and cross-border incubation networks for young entrepreneurs.
The five-day schedule will wrap up on August 21 with the twelfth BRICS Communications Ministers Meeting, where member state leaders will formally sign off on the joint declarations and strategic roadmaps shaped over the week. The final ministerial statement is set to lock in joint targets on telecom infrastructure, shared cyber-defense monitoring, and startup exchange programs. By guiding the expanded eleven-nation alliance toward practical technological collaboration, India’s hosting in Pune underscores its active role in shaping digital policy and public infrastructure standards across emerging economies.